The environmental impact of mining has come under scrutiny in recent years as the world strives to meet carbon emissions reduction targets. As a result, mines have increased their efforts towards improving sustainability. One element that needs focus is on people, as the social factor is a critical element in the Just Transition. This means that compliance with health and safety regulations needs to become a priority, and skills development as well as community upliftment must form part of overall sustainability initiatives. A skilled, experienced Temporary Employment Services (TES) provider is an invaluable partner in this regard, supporting sustainability and social upliftment goals while ensuring that staffing is handled efficiently and, importantly, in a compliant manner.
Building communities supports sustainability
South Africa’s mining landscape is centred on communities in smaller, outlying towns, with most economic activity in these communities centred on mining. In the past, when mines reached the end of life, they simply closed, which left the surrounding communities in a difficult position. With a renewed focus on sustainability and Just Transition, this now needs to shift toward ensuring that the towns and people can participate in the economy long after mining ceases to become the primary income stream.
There needs to be investment in both time and money into supporting local communities because ultimately the success of the mine requires buy-in from the community as well. This starts at the ground level with support for schools and initiatives that make a meaningful difference. In addition to fostering community relations, this also helps to build a talent pipeline for the mines, by ensuring that people have the necessary skills for the future.
Health and safety should always be a priority
Mining is, by its nature, a hazardous environment, which means health and safety, and compliance with laws around this, should always be top of mind. Proper health and safety measures help prevent accidents, and prioritising health and safety ensures the well-being of mine workers, reducing incidents of injuries, illnesses, and fatalities. In addition, mining companies that demonstrate a commitment to health and safety build trust with employees, local communities, and other stakeholders.
Effective health and safety protocols are part of comprehensive risk management strategies, and companies that prioritise health and safety are a more attractive prospect for investors. A strong culture of health and safety also means fewer accidents and disruptions, which means enhanced overall operational efficiency as well as reduced cost associated with accidents and lost productivity. There are also legal issues to consider, as non-compliance can result in penalties, fines, and operational shutdowns.
Staffing experts support sustainability goals
Working with a reputable TES partner ensures that all staff are appropriately skilled and certified, and that all necessary compliance requirements are followed during the sourcing, vetting and onboarding processes. This includes police and medical clearance, which significantly reduces admin for mining companies, as the onboarding process alone can be onerous, complex and time consuming. A reputable TES provider will also have relationships in the communities and a strong focus on building and maintaining community relations to ensure vulnerable people are not exploited.
TES providers can also assist with skills development initiatives, identifying and nurturing talent and providing opportunities, which not only assists in retaining employees but also ensuring the longevity and sustainability of the talent pool. A TES provider with a large geographic footprint can also give people with talent access to opportunities beyond the horizons of their immediate community, which gives them scope to expand and grow.
The right TES partner can support mining’s drive to become more sustainable, aligning with emissions targets and providing the resources they need to support these goals while ensuring that health, safety and the value of human life is prioritised. This goes beyond labour solutions to a human-centric solutions model, which is rapidly becoming a critical component in sustainability and the Just Transition.
Opinion piece by Donné Nieman, Sales Director at Workforce Staffing and Michael Montgomery Le Gassick, Regional Director at Workforce Staffing.
